


Love on Ice

by MidnightCrow



Series: Love and Reality TV [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bachelor AU, Based on a Tumblr Post, M/M, Why is that a tag and not the first thing, this was supposed to be a oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-02-14 14:05:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13009428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightCrow/pseuds/MidnightCrow
Summary: When Victor jokingly applied to be the bachelor on a new TV show he never thought he'd get picked. The rest of the world never thought he'd choose the winner within the first ten minutes of the first episode.





	1. Victor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based off an [ask](http://randomsplashes.tumblr.com/post/168196769334/bachelor-au-where-victor-is-the-bachelor-and) someone sent Randomsplashes on tumblr and I couldn't get out of my head so instead of sleeping I wrote this on *checks sleep tracker* less than two hours of sleep. Enjoy.

As the makeup artist gave his cheek one last dusting of blush Victor couldn’t help but sigh internally, why had he agreed to do this? He didn’t want to use a television show to find a boyfriend, especially not after last night, but how could he tell the producer and the rest to just go home after they’d put in so much effort already? The contestants were already gathered in this stupid mansion, probably in the entrance hall, someone had to be giving those men instructions and reminding them that they would be filmed.

“You’re twenty-seven Victor, and you haven’t been in a relationship in years, the producers say they want to film one of those new reality dating shows featuring an athlete and they want you to at least audition. You probably won’t get chosen but hopefully it will distract you enough to break you from whatever slump you’ve fallen into now.” Yakov hadn’t taken the email seriously at first, but after two more had arrived along with a letter sent through the postal system and several phone calls he’d realized that whoever was behind this was deadly serious about it. 

The skater had decided to sit the season out after a knee injury prevented him from practicing for several months, and while he technically didn’t have to compete anymore if he didn’t want to there was nothing he actually did want to do. As a child he’d just wanted to skate, the thrill of landing a jump or spin had been enough to push him forward to just see how much he could improve. He’d never expected to win any competitions, but as he kept winning the world wanted more from him and after the European championship when he was twenty-six he’d realized that he no longer skated for himself. Every routine had become nothing more than a show for the audience, a game to see if he could surprise people any more, and he was sick of it.

As a joke Victor had applied to the show, filling out the form with false enthusiasm and taking part in the phone interview that followed with even falser enthusiasm. He didn’t want to get chosen, he just wanted to get Yakov off his back as well as Yuri; the teen had decided that since the silver-haired man wasn’t skating he shouldn’t lounge around and do nothing.

“You’re going to get fat old man,” were the words that followed.

“I’m thrilled to see you care about my well-being,” he’d replied, glancing up from his phone momentarily.

“I just don’t want you to retire before I get the chance to knock you off that podium.”

The last thing he’d expected was a second call from the producer saying he’d been chosen as the bachelor out of seven other athletes, he’d completed all the appropriate paperwork and gone through with the interview. He was participating in this stupid show whether he liked it or not, and now he’d just sat in a makeup chair for an hour while a woman fussed over him just so he could make a fool of himself.

It really didn’t help that he’d met someone last night either, someone who’d been funny and cute and sexy at the same time. Victor wished he’d gotten the man’s number at the very least so he could text him about how stupid he felt in the middle of whatever dates he went on. He also wished he’d gotten their name, because after spending three hours together that was never mentioned for some bizarre reason.

“Victor, filming has already started and you need to make your way to the main room,” a woman with blond hair tied back in a ponytail flipped through some papers on a clipboard before gesturing for him to follow her. The mansion was enormous, a labyrinth of hallways that led to yet more hallways and although he’d been living in the master suite for a week he still managed to get lost three times a day at least. The skater was secretly relieved that all he had to do was follow this person, it would certainly make an impression for his first appearance on live TV to consist of him running into a room shouting about getting lost. They’d probably already shown that absurd video they’d made featuring some of his skating victories as well as the clips of him getting out of a pool, stretching, and just smiling at the camera.

The room chosen as the location for date announcements and eliminations was the entrance hall, two staircases converging into one at its center making every entrance seem dramatic even if you tripped halfway. Victor was thankful though, thankful that the door he was to come out of was blocked by a plant because he’d taken one step out of it before running back into the hallway, his heart hammering against his chest.

“Cancel the show,” he grabbed the blond-haired woman by her shoulders and spoke the words he’d been dying to say for over a month.

Even when he was missing his glasses, even with his hair slicked back out of his eyes and a suit with a horrid tie replacing the sweatshirt and jeans he’d worn the night before there was no mistaking those brown eyes that had haunted his dreams. It was the man from last night, the man who’d already thawed the skater’s icy heart after they’d just met, but he still didn’t know their name.

Victor had gone to a bar in the center of town, desperate to get away from the mansion and forget about just what he was about to do the following day; preferably with the help of alcohol, good alcohol and not whatever passed for beer in these parts. There had been no open tables or stools and it seemed like the only unoccupied chair was in a corner, across from a young man with black hair and glasses.

“Mind if I sit here?” The man jumped in his seat as he glanced up at the skater and there was recognition on his face as his lovely brown eyes widened.

“You’re Victor Nikiforov,” it was halfway between a question and a statement, as though the speaker couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Yeah... you’ve probably heard I’m in town for that show.”

“I knew who you were before then,” a blush spread across pale cheeks as the man took another sip of his drink. “I used to skate.”

That was surprising, Victor knew he had thousands of fans and had more than likely inspired people to take up ice skating themselves but for him to meet someone in a bar like this, and a cute guy as well...

“Used to?” He pulled out the empty chair and took a seat before picking up the drinks menu, hoping they carried some foreign brews that might suit his palate.

“It didn’t work out, I kept placing last in competitions because my nerves got to me. I liked watching you skate though, it was like you were telling a story or something.”

“Are you sad I took the season off?”

The man looked up at Victor and his eyes seemed to stare into his very soul. “You haven’t been skating as well as you used to, it’s like you lost your passion or something; don’t get me wrong, it’s still breathtaking, but there’s no heart to any routine. It’s like you’re just going through the motions.”

“Am I that transparent?” A waitress came over and the silver-haired man ordered a German beer with a name he struggled pronouncing.

“Not really, I know other people haven’t noticed, but you get this distant look in your eyes as though your mind is a million miles away from the rink. You don’t seem happy.” The man’s voice had started to slur and his gaze was unfocused but the words he said were the truth. “I was surprised that you agreed to the show though.”

“Oh, well people said it was a good idea so I auditioned, I never thought I’d get chosen though,” the beer arrived but Victor no longer felt like drinking. It was as though this man had stripped him bare within seconds, he’d seen right through the smile and cheerful persona that the world expected him to have. “I didn’t want to get chosen, but it’s not like I can ask them to cancel it for me.”

“What do you want to do?”

“You mean with the show or my career?” He wasn’t sure he understood the question.

“What do you want to do? Isn’t there something you’ve dreamed of doing that you’ve never been able to because you always had to practice and go to competitions? When there were days you considered giving everything up what would have been the first thing you’d do?” The man had finished his drink and the glass sat empty next to two others as he ran a finger around the rim.

“I want to meet someone I can spend the rest of my life with.”

He had, in a way; they’d stayed at the table for several hours after that, talking and drinking into the early hours of morning before the man had noticed the time. Apparently he’d remembered he was a contestant on this show and that he needed some sleep before appearing on it, although Victor wished that it had been brought up even once about how the man was in fact competing for his affection. 

“Mr. Nikiforov the cameras are rolling, we can’t cancel the show right now so get out there and greet the people who have traveled hundreds of miles just to meet you.” The blonde woman prodded him with her clipboard and he stumbled forward, righting himself at the last second before glancing at his reflection in a mirror to make sure he didn’t look as shocked as he felt.

One foot in front of the other, he just had to keep moving and make sure he didn’t fall down the stairs on live television; he made his lips smile, his eyes appear warm although his gaze kept drifting to the black-haired man. Some sort of music was playing as he descended, a violin and piano piece he’d never heard before, most likely they’d already announced him before he’d entered the room. All too soon he was at the bottom, standing before twenty men of varying heights and ages, skin tones and hair colors, and instead of making the introduction everyone expected of him he merely pointed at the man from last night.

“You, with the black hair slicked back and the ugly tie.” The man pointed to himself in confusion. “Yes you, step forward.”

“What are you doing?” A voice crackled through the earpiece that had been forced onto him but Victor ignored it.

“What’s your name?” A playful smile tugged at his lips.

“Y-Yuuri... Yuuri Katsuki.” What a delightful name, the skater had no idea what it meant but it fit him regardless.

“Yuuri Katsuki?” The man, Yuuri, nodded. “I pick you, everyone else can go home.”

People who watched the first episode of Love on Ice as it was airing would have seen the eyes of everyone in the room widen in shock and several mouths open to either protest or ask for confirmation. Then a commercial had started playing so that people could make sense of what on earth had happened to the show.

“Victor you can’t just pick someone off the bat, that’s not how it works!” The producer was up in his face after they’d dragged both him and Yuuri away from the others, albeit they were in separate rooms.

“But I already know who I choose, it’s sort of pointless to lead everyone else on if the results are already decided.” He didn’t understand what the problem was.

“There’s still eleven more episodes after today, what are we supposed to do for all of those? Should we just film you and Yuuri going on dates instead of everything that was supposed to happen?”

“Oh that’s a great idea! I think our first date should be at the beach, it would be so romantic to watch the sun set over the ocean.”

When the show started filming again it was focused on Victor, a microphone shoved in his face as a disembodied voice questioned him. “What made you decide on Yuuri? Was it love at first sight?”

A smile played at his lips as the skater fiddled with a button on his sleeve. “In a way, we met last night at a bar and he charmed me without ever telling me that he was a contestant; I felt it was unfair to the others if I gave them fake hope when I already knew who would be the winner.”

Meanwhile in another room Yuuri was receiving similar treatment and it was clearly causing him distress. “W-why did Victor choose me? I really don’t know, I’m sorry.”

“He says you met last night in a bar,” the disembodied voice rang out again. “Is this untrue?”

The man’s face flushed and he began tugging on his collar. “I don’t really remember anything when I drink... I know I went to a bar but the details are really fuzzy... Sorry that’s probably not helpful.”

“Yuuri!” Victor dashed onscreen and wrapped his arms around the black-haired man’s torso. “What kind of cake do you want at our wedding?”

“Wait, what? Wedding?” Yuuri’s face was beet red as he stared into the camera and mouthed the words “help me” before he was dragged away and out the door by a very smitten figure skater.

The rest of the show went on to show the pair’s developing relationship since it was clear at the start that Yuuri was still entirely confused about what was going on despite Victor’s obvious flirting. They did go to the beach in addition to an amusement park, a regular park for a picnic, and an ice skating rink. As each hour-long episode depicted a week in their lives it was easy to watch the couple truly fall in love, with each date their expressions softened and the black-haired man stopped jerking away at the skater’s touches. The last episode went down in history as one of the most watched reality show finales ever, and for good reason; it started with Victor addressing the camera, his face showing more emotion than it had in years.

“I’m going to ask Yuuri to marry me,” he winked and his smile was genuine. “Don’t tell him, okay?”

The rest of the episode showed the steps Victor was taking to make the perfect setting for a televised engagement. He reserved dinner at a fancy restaurant, hired a horse-drawn carriage to pull them through a park whose trees had been strung with electric lights so they would stand out in the night, everything looked to be ready for a wonderful evening. Then it rained, and viewers were quite entertained to see the skater become flustered after leaving the restaurant only to be met with the downpour outside.

“Was it that important?” Yuuri had no way of knowing just what had been set up for him but upon seeing how distressed Victor had become he’d run to the nearest corner store just to buy an umbrella. “It may not be much, but if you don’t want to head back just yet I’m sure there’s something we can do. I’m happy just to spend time with you.”

The skater had hugged the other man to him. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

Yuuri had laughed, “you picked me out of nineteen other people on national television. We’re still on television, I can see the camera over there.” He’d pointed directly into the camera then before giving a shy smile.

Releasing the black-haired man Victor sank to one knee on the wet sidewalk, eyes shining in the flickering light from a nearby street lamp. “Yuuri Katsuki, even though you have no memory of saying this, when we first met you said I didn’t seem happy anymore. You were right, I had lost sight of why I’d started skating in the first place and I no longer knew what I was supposed to be doing. When I saw you the next day, saw you were competing just to be with me, I knew there was no point in delaying the inevitable because my heart already belonged to you.”

“Every day since then has been a blessing, and I go to sleep every night thankful that my life had a purpose once more. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want your face to be the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see in the morning,” he paused a moment. “I also made sure you didn’t have anything to drink at dinner so you wouldn’t forget this moment.”

Yuuri laughed, his eyes bright with tears even as he smiled.

“Even though it has only been three months and six days since we met I need to ask you something. Yuuri Katsuki, will you marry me?” Victor opened a small ring box with a simple gold band in it, he could have afforded an extravagant ring with gemstones of every color but it wasn’t necessary.

Another laugh, and Yuuri pulled a similar box from his jacket pocket with a noise halfway between a laugh and a sob. “I guess we had the same idea.”

Victor simply stared at the matching ring in his boyfriend’s hand before his blue eyes met brown. “Wait are we engaged now?”

The black-haired man placed the open umbrella on the ground before he plucked the ring he’d purchased from its box and slid it onto the skater’s ring finger before the action was repeated on his own hand. “I think we are.”

“Can I get up now? My pants are getting soaked.” Yuuri pulled his fiancé to his feet and into a hug, the two of them laughing a bit before their eyes met once more and their lips followed. The kiss was brief but nevertheless it seemed to convey the mishmash of emotions each of them was feeling.

The episode itself ended there, because some people didn’t think the response of “maybe you should take them off when we get back” was entirely appropriate for TV. It was what happened though, after all the cameras had been uninstalled of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Before anyone asks, there will not be any more to this. I literally cannot deal with any more stories and I really shouldn't have written this but by writing this I can focus on those other fics.~~
> 
>  
> 
> I really need to sleep.
> 
> Edit now that I’m more awake:  
> If you liked this check out my other stuff or my [Tumblr](https://midnightcrowisabadname.tumblr.com) to see other stuff I’ve written, pictures of me cosplaying both Victor and Yuuri, one of which includes an Elsa dress, and pictures of my dog who’s so cute she should be illegal.


	2. Yuuri

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Screams into the night sky* I said I wasn't going to write more and yet.... I just wanted to write Yuuri's side of it and... so now there will be three chapters and I can't

When Yuuri opened his eyes the first thing he saw was his fiancé’s face and he had to resist the urge to pinch himself in order to see if he was still dreaming. Although it had been almost two years since they’d met, most of that time they’d spent being engaged, the fact that Victor Nikiforov was in love with him still seemed like an impossible thing. The black-haired man had idolized the skater since he was a child, he’d even taken up ice skating himself because of him, and it had been the reason Phichit had called him at three in the morning one day.

“You’re not going to believe this!” His friend practically screamed into his ear after he managed to answer the phone in his half-asleep state. “You have to audition, it’s the chance of a lifetime!”

He hadn’t understood what Phichit had been saying, it was too early and he’d stayed up late playing Don’t Starve the night before, and instead of responding he’d simply hung up. The Thai boy had only screamed louder when he called again only seconds later.

“Victor Nikiforov is looking for a boyfriend!” That had gotten his attention, which had probably been the point. “Yuuri, he’s signed onto one of those dating shows and they’re looking for people to be on it, they want athletes or former athletes to apply and you need to do it!”

“No.” He’d hung up again and Phichit hadn’t called him back, no instead he’d waited until Yuuri had properly woken up and came to his apartment to persuade him, and he’d been prepared. He had used his social media powers for good and obtained several articles on the new show in addition to his usual bribery binder of Victor pictures that he’d gotten from his reporter friends. As usual, it had worked and in exchange for an unused photo from a perfume advertisement the application was filled out, if only to shut his friend up. 

A month later he’d gotten a phone call from an unknown number and he’d almost ignored it, but some weird impulse told him to answer and Yuuri found out he’d passed the first screening phase. He’d had to send a video of him talking about himself and his interests with cheeks flushed from embarrassment partially because of how awkward he felt and the fact Phichit kept making kissy faces from behind the camera. 

Another month passed before the second call came and changed his life, “I think I’m going to be sick.” He muttered after he’d hung up and his friend stared at him with wide eyes.

“Did you not make it?”

“That’s the thing, I passed the auditions and I’m going to appear in Love on Ice...”

Phichit had screamed again, launching himself at Yuuri and hugging him while simultaneously shaking him. “Oh my baby’s all grown up and appearing on TV!”

“I’m older than you are.”

“Shhh, someone has to take care of you and the only way you can get me to stop is if Victor replaces me.”

Somehow he’d survived the months before he needed to fly out for the show, he even survived the six hour flight and car ride to the largest mansion he’d ever seen, not that he’d seen many. Upon seeing the massive white building, three stories tall with an entrance lined with stone columns and sprawling gardens, it finally sank in that what was happening was real. He’d kept expecting someone to pop out of nowhere and tell him that he was the victim of some elaborate prank, for someone to say it was a mistake that he’d been chosen, but nothing had happened.

“Name?” A man with a clipboard and an earpiece stared at him disinterestedly.

“Yuuri, Yuuri Katsuki,” he stammered as he played with the zipper pull on his messenger bag, the rest of his luggage would be brought to his room while he met with the producer along with the others. The inside of the mansion was no less impressive than the outside, a huge staircase rested against the opposite wall with a crimson carpet leading to the gray marble floors his shoes clicked against as he walked. Windows were set every few feet in the walls, stretching nearly from ceiling to floor and hung with curtains that matched the carpet. Potted plants rested in alcoves and on tables in glass vases, and on the wall behind the staircase sat a large painting of a forest at nighttime.

He and the other nineteen men were shepherded into an office off the entrance hall where a short man with thinning black hair addressed them about what would be required of them while they stayed in the mansion. “I’m not saying that we don’t want you to act as you normally would, but there might be kids and teenagers watching so don’t do anything too inappropriate while the cameras are rolling. That being said I don’t want anyone harassing another person while filming isn’t happening, if I see someone acting in such a manner I will not hesitate to send you home immediately.” He took a sip of water before continuing. “On the other hand, if you feel uncomfortable with anything that’s going on I want you to tell a crew member, even if it’s Victor making you feel that way; we want everyone to get along even though it’s a competition.”

It was nice to hear that the director actually cared about the contestants, at the very least Yuuri wouldn’t be pressured into awkward situations for the sake of good television. It didn’t erase the twisting feeling in his stomach though, and the day before shooting was about to start it only took an hour of staring at his closed eyelids before he accepted that he couldn’t sleep and needed to get away. There had been a bar he’d noticed during the tour of the town and it seemed as good a place to go as anywhere, maybe some alcohol would relax him enough to actually fall asleep.

The black-haired man remembered sitting down at a table and ordering a drink, then another when the first one vanished too soon, but anything after that was a blur and he’d woken up the next morning with a throbbing head. “I’m going to appear on TV for the first time ever, and I have a hangover,” he stared at his reflection before taking a handful of painkillers and going down to the makeup and clothing people. His hair had been gelled off his face and he’d been forced to put his contacts in before he was practically shoved into a suit he vaguely recognized as his own, the tie had been a gift from his mother who was somewhat confused about fashion.

Everyone was herded into the entrance hall and arranged into lines, last minute adjustments to hair or clothes made before the cameras and microphones turned on and the announcer began speaking although he wouldn’t actually appear. This was real, Yuuri felt sweat break out on his palms as his insides lurched, why had he drank again?

“Presenting Victor Nikiforov!” Oh god, it was happening, the man he’d idolized and fantasized about as a child was descending the stairs in front of him and all he could do was pray that he wouldn’t pass out. The skater had agreed to this show because he’d been forced to sit out this season due to a torn ACL which had required surgery to fix but he walked without issue, the only thing that seemed off was his expression. It was a look Yuuri was familiar with, one he’d grown used to seeing during interviews with the man in recent years, a forced smile without any real emotion in it; it was almost painful to look at.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs the silver-haired man merely aimed a finger into the throng of men before him. “You, with the black hair slicked back and the ugly tie,” Yuuri pointed to himself and received a nod in confirmation. “Yes you, step forward.”

On shaking feet the black-haired man took a few hesitant steps forward, the other contestants moving aside as he made his way to the front and stood by himself wondering just what he did wrong to have been eliminated off the bat.

“What’s your name?” Victor gave a small smile but it was already more real than the one he’d had on his face moments ago.

“Y-Yuuri... Yuuri Katsuki,” he stammered as his cheeks flushed with color and he wanted to cry.

“Yuuri Katsuki?” His name sounded wonderful coming from Victor, but he was too terrified to do more than nod. “I pick you, everyone else can go home.” 

He was one of the many people to shout in confusion, but apparently the skater was deadly serious and refused to change his mind; they’d been separated from everyone else so they could be interviewed separately. “He says you met last night in a bar,” the announcer asked from behind a camera. “Is this untrue?”

“I don’t really remember anything when I drink...” Yuuri tugged on his collar, a nervous habit he hadn’t been able to shake. “I know I went to a bar but the details are really fuzzy... Sorry that’s probably not helpful.”

Victor burst into the side room grinning more than the black-haired man had seen in years and wrapping long arms around his chest. “Yuuri!” “What kind of cake do you want at our wedding?”

“Wait, what? Wedding?” Yuuri’s felt his face flush even more and he turned to look into the camera before mouthing the words “help me” before the skater had one hand around his wrist and dragged him out of the room. They walked in silence before coming upon a set of huge double doors and entering the room behind it, a room with the largest bed he’d ever seen in it.

“I’m sorry, I just needed to talk to you away from all the cameras, although there might be ones set up in here but...” Victor glanced around the room before shouting. “There had better fucking not be or I will be very upset!”

Yuuri stared at the man before him and wondered if he was dreaming, before he could stop himself he’d slapped one hand across his cheek; it hurt, it hurt quite a lot if he was being honest with himself, which meant one thing.

“Why did you do that? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?” The skater ran his fingers over the skin that had already started turning red before jerking his hand away as though he’d burned himself. “I’m sorry, it probably hurts I shouldn’t have done this.

“I’m not dreaming,” Yuuri rubbed his cheek dazedly before a bubble of amusement swelled in his chest and burst free. He couldn’t help it and Victor stared at him in confusion as he laughed until his sides hurt, before he stopped and wiped tears away from his eyes. “I’m sorry, it’s just... I don’t know how to react right now, I don’t really understand what’s going on.”

“What don’t you understand?” The skater looked concerned, his silver hair had become mussed slightly and his tie was crooked but he seemed more human than ever.

“I, I’m nothing special... I can’t see why you’d pick me out of everyone, especially right at the start...”

“Yuuri, I told you last night that I didn’t want to do this show to begin with and after meeting you I considered just quitting; the last thing I wanted to do was be forced to go on dates with other guys when you were all I could think about. God, I even dreamed about you and I didn’t know your name, so when I saw you among the others I felt like it was destiny or something.”

“I don’t remember last night,” it had to be said, before Victor got more attached. “I just, I had a lot to drink and it’s all hazy.” As if the mere memory of how drunk he’d been the night before was enough to overpower the painkillers his head gave a painful throb.

“Are you okay?”

“Hangover, I’ll be fine,” Yuuri groaned before returning his gaze to Victor’s. His blue eyes were wide with both confusion and concern and he looked as though he wanted to... hold him?

“You don’t remember anything? We talked for hours,” he sounded dejected as he broke eye contact.

“I’m sorry, drunk me is really different from sober me and it’s okay if you want to change your mind about everything...”

“Why would I do that? You’re still you, and I want to get to know the real you even if we have an audience for our dates.”

“I don’t understand, why are you so interested in me? Yuuri had to know, he needed to find out if he was being led on as some cruel prank.

“You were the first person to see me for who I am in years, you could see that I wasn’t happy skating anymore and that I didn’t love the ice like I used to. It was like I’d been underwater for years and you pulled me up out of the surface, everything looks different now and I have you to thank for it. I want to be with you, if you’ll have me.”

Without realizing it Yuuri had started crying, and he was not pretty when he cried, his nose got red and his eyes became puffy but the tears wouldn’t stop. “Oh no, I’m sorry! Please don’t cry!” Victor looked terrified now, completely out of his comfort zone and unsure of what he should do.

“I... I’m happy,” he sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of a hand. “I’ve been your fan since I was a kid, my childhood friend owns an ice rink so she showed me some of your routines when I was ten and I was captivated. I’d already been doing ballet for years but I started skating because I wanted to be like you, but my anxiety got in the way and I choked at every competition so I gave up. I just dance now, I’m a ballet instructor, but I never stopped being your fan.”

“My friend Phichit, he told me about this show, made me send in an application even though I didn’t want to; then I got chosen and I thought it would be enough to just spend time with you even if I didn’t win. I never thought... I never expected to hear you say that you actually want to be with me.”

Victor stared at him with wide eyes for a few second before pulling him into an embrace. “I am going to have to thank this friend of yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I was too sleep deprived to write it last time, what I'm using as a basis for the application for both Victor and Yuuri is personal experience when I jokingly submitted an application to appear on some geek show I don't even remember the name of. Joke was on me because I got a phone call and they wanted me to submit a video talking about how awesome I was even though I most definitely wasn't. I didn't submit one and the story ends there.
> 
> Thank you for the wonderful response the first part got, I never expected it.
> 
> We have both sides out of the way, an engaged couple, and one more chapter... dunno what might happen.
> 
> Thanks for reading, if you wanna chat with my lonely self you can go to my [Tumblr](https://midnightcrowisabadname.tumblr.com/) or something.


	3. Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The finale you've been waiting for. I hope it was worth the wait. I don't know if anyone noticed I had to change the rating a little bit.

Despite the generous offer they were given both Yuuri and Viktor decided against having their wedding televised, they’d had enough of cameras intruding on their relationship. It was to be a small wedding, a decision that had shocked the internet when the news was released, but they wanted it to just be family members and friends. People had done everything from asking on twitter to confronting them in the streets to see if they could get an invite but all requests except one had been denied.

“Yuuri!” An excited boy with a red streak in his blonde hair had approached the couple when they were attending the Cup of China to support Yuri and Phichit. His eyes had been focused not on Viktor but on Yuuri, admiration clear on his youthful face, but what caught their attention was his clothing. “Yuuri it’s an honor to meet you!”

“Are you skating today?” Glimpses of a red and yellow vest could be seen under the partially-zipped training sweatshirt, a costume?

“I’m Minami Kenjiro! I’m representing Japan! I saw videos of you skating when I was younger and it inspired me to start!”

“Really? But I wasn’t even that good. I flubbed a lot of my jumps because I got too nervous and I didn’t even make it to seniors.” Yuuri wished he had something to fiddle with to get rid of the anxious energy filling him.

“There weren’t many Japanese skaters when I was younger, so seeing someone from my own country skate so beautifully... it was amazing to me and it made me believe that if I tried hard I could be like you someday.” From beside Yuuri Viktor was smiling, pride for his fiancé being recognized as the talented skater he was obvious to anyone with eyes.

“Well, it’s an honor to have inspired someone to start skating, I’ve taken it up again although I don’t see myself competing like you and Viktor do. Good luck today Minami, I believe in you.” The black haired man’s cheeks were dusted in pink but as soon as the boy was out of sight the blush deepened so his whole face was red.

“Aww, Yuuri you have fans!” The skater hugged his fiancé tight and planted a kiss on his cheek. “I’m your biggest fan though, I have dibs.”

“I think Phichit will fight you for that spot, my parents won’t mind though.”

Planning for the wedding went more smoothly than either man expected it to, the only issue that came up was when Chris insisted on being the one to plan the bachelor party. The man had given a flirtatious wink to Viktor, which had been reason enough to worry without the words that followed. “I’ll only get one stripper.”

“I don’t want any strippers Chris, I don’t need a bachelor party.” He’d started to protest but there was no stopping his friend after he’d set his sights on something, usually it led to things that made for interesting stories but this time it felt wrong. Viktor was madly in love with Yuuri, he wasn’t interested in seeing any other half-naked men besides his fiance.

“This one’s really good, you’ll see.” Several months later Chris had barged into his tiny apartment and nearly made the skater cut himself instead of the carrots he’d been in the middle of chopping for dinner. Without even giving Viktor time to clean up the mess he’d made or change clothes the blonde had dragged his friend out the door and into a limousine. At least he’d been able to turn off the stove and lock the door, he could only hope Makkachin wouldn’t get into anything.

A garment bag was thrown at Viktor. “Put these on,” Chris was wearing a gaudy red shirt that shone in the dim light of the car, black pants that almost seemed painted onto his legs, and sunglasses despite the late hour. “Just because the party’s for you doesn’t mean you’re exempt from the dress code.”

The clothes he’d been given to change into were similarly ostentatious, although his own shirt was a vibrant magenta color instead of red and his pants seemed to be made of fake leather. After only a few minutes of wearing them his legs felt uncomfortably hot despite the snow still outside, their tightness only contributing to how miserable he felt. “There had better be a drink placed in my hand the second I get there or I’m going to be upset.”

“Of course, we wouldn’t want the guest of honor leaving before the main event starts.”

After what felt like forever the limousine pulled up in front of a nightclub, Viktor couldn’t tell what the name was thanks to the fact the sign was written in neon purple cursive lights above the door. Poor choice by the owners but if he might have cared it was overshadowed by how much he wanted the night to be over, he wanted to be back home with Yuuri and Makkachin watching TV as they ate dinner. A few hours, he’d stay for a few hours before politely excusing himself and taking a cab back to his apartment.

Chris must have read his mind, or at least taken what he’d said in the car to heart, because a glass of beer was pressed into his palm after he’d only taken a few steps inside. The inside of the club was just as loud and confusing as the sign outside, if not for the flashing lights cutting through the darkness in flares of green, blue, red, yellow, and white he very well might have walked straight into the bar. The room was smaller than he’d expected, although he was guessing where the walls were, a stage set at the far end with a single pole at its center. While most of the seats were filled with people whose faces Viktor barely remembered he was able to pick out a few people he thought he might have known at some point.

“This is a mistake.” He muttered into his glass as he took a large gulp of lukewarm beer, grimacing at how watery it tasted before he was dragged towards what must have been a side room. A private room, for the “lucky bachelor” to experience a special show, or so he guessed.

“I know you said you didn’t want a stripper but I found one I think you’ll like.” The blonde had his own drink, something in a martini glass that Viktor couldn’t be bothered to wonder about, and he took a sip before shoving his friend into the room.

Fuck.

Someone was already inside.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

This was not happening. This was not happening. Yuuri was not up there on a tiny stage, hair gelled off his face except for a few black strands that had fallen into his brown eyes. His fiance was most certainly not wearing nothing except for a pair of glittery gold shorts that accentuated how perfectly sculpted his ass was. Viktor might have dropped his beer, but the sound of shattering glass and the liquid sloshing onto his shoes wasn't even close to being on his mind as he stared at the sight in front of him.

He’d seen Yuuri with even less clothing on before, he knew that underneath the baggy sweaters and shirts his fiancé preferred to wear the body underneath was almost entirely muscle. He’d had fantasies about those thighs wrapped around him since they’d started dating, and when they’d stumbled back to the mansion after the show had finished filming... It had been better than he could have possibly dreamed, Yuuri’s pupils dilated with lust, their tongues entwining, and their fingers tracing the contours of each other’s bodies. This however, this was something completely different, and he was unprepared.

Brown eyes met his own, and Yuuri gave a cocky grin as he slipped off the pole, laughing slightly at the expression on Viktor’s face. “You thought I was joking when I said I didn't need those dance lessons.” It wasn't a question, it was a fact both of them knew. Their fourth date for the show had been a couple’s cooking lesson, and the skater had suggested classes they could take after filming had ended.

“I already know how to pole-dance.” It was obvious now, but back then it had seemed like an excuse to avoid doing something that made him uncomfortable.

“You can tell me the story later,” the skater smirked back at Yuuri, taking a seat in the chair at the edge of the stage. “I was promised a night I’d never forget, since I'm getting married and all. I just hope my fiancé doesn't find out.”

“He must be pretty special to make the world-champion figure skater Viktor Nikiforov settle down. What’s he like?” Yuuri had returned to the pole and hoisted himself up, one leg hooked around it as he began to spin slowly in a circle, each movement deliberate and elegant.

Two could play that game. Viktor unbuttoned the top of his gaudy shirt and ran a hand through his silver hair, taking pride in the way Yuuri’s composed expression faltered. “Well, when you first meet him he’s quiet and shy but once you get to know him he’s adorable one moment and then a switch flips and I find myself wishing I was a poet so I could find the words to best describe him.”

“Funny,” the calm indifference was back but it was easy to see that Yuuri was struggling to maintain his composure. “I often wish I were an artist so I could capture my fiancé’s beauty, although I doubt canvas and stone could do him justice.”

Enough wordplay, enough teasing. Viktor stood, beckoning Yuuri towards him before capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. “Please tell me you have a car waiting because I want to do things to you that aren't appropriate for this setting.”

“We’re in a bar with poles and stages, I'm not sure what you're imagining that would be so out of place here.” Yuuri picked up a bag and pulled out a jacket and shoes before glancing at the skater. “It’s February Vitya. There’s snow outside, and while you’re not wrong I'm not walking out in this.”

Instead of answering Viktor scooped up his fiance, now clothed, and carried him to the cab so they could continue back at their apartment.

The cherry blossoms were in full bloom when Viktor woke up in Yutopia to find the other side of the bed cold, a note left on the pillow. “Isn’t it bad luck to see each other before the wedding? Hopefully because you were sleeping it didn't count but Makkachin and I are out for a walk before we start getting ready. I’ll see you at the altar.”

He was getting married today. He was getting married **today.** When he fell asleep again he’d be Viktor Katsuki-Nikiforov, husband of the most wonderful man to ever exist, and he couldn't wait. He hurriedly ate a quick breakfast of sliced fruit and toast before he and the others in the bridal party left to get ready.

The park was half an hour from Yutopia and Viktor stared at the window as he kept touching the spot where his ring should be, he’d had to give it up so it could be used in the ceremony but his finger felt empty without it. The day was beautiful, for late April it was surprisingly warm and he couldn’t help but wonder if even the weather was looking out for him. In the back seat Yuri Plisetsky was chatting with Otabek about his cat and although he tried eavesdropping just as a distraction from the nerves clawing at his inside he failed. It was a relief to arrive at the tea garden and be dragged into a room by Chris so he could have his hair styled and get changed.

Voices called to one another from outside the room, people running around and making last minute adjustments to the decorations; Makkachin barked and Viktor wished she could be with him but she’d get fur all over him. The minute hand slowly counted down the time before the wedding started and the sounds changed, guests had arrived and begun talking to each other. After what felt like forever Chris came with a bottle of water and some grapes to eat before ushering him along to one side of the garden, his view obscured by bushes so he couldn’t be seen.

Yuuri had suggested that since it was two men getting married, and therefore there was no bride to walk down the aisle, that they should each enter from opposite sides and go to the altar together. Viktor hadn’t seen his parents in years, not since he’d come out at eighteen and they’d wanted nothing to do with him, nobody from his biological family would be here but he’d found a new family he loved more. While it was true that he had no one to “give him away” he didn’t need anyone’s permission but Yuuri’s to get married, and that was all that mattered.

Through a space between branches Viktor could make out a small crowd seated in the courtyard, a path of white petals dividing them as music started to play. A pianist had agreed to play some of the songs he had skated to, as per Yuuri’s request, and the melody of this one brought back memories of their third date, where they’d spent hours at an ice rink. You Only Live Once had been his favorite song of all they’d listened to and he couldn’t help but smile as he recalled how much had changed since then.

The procession began with Hiroko and Toshiya, looking ecstatic in their kimonos as they took their seats in the front row, behind them was Chris as Viktor’s best man and Phichit as Yuuri’s behind him. Next came Yuri and Yuuko, who’d been delighted to be the only bridesmaid, walking in single file before standing next to the two men. Makkachin had been the obvious choice for the ring-bearer, and she trotted up the aisle and sat next to the officiant, tail wagging and a large ribbon with the rings strung on it in place of a collar. Lastly came Yuuko’s triplets as flower girls, Axel, Lutz, and Loop looked adorable in their purple dresses as they scattered petals around happily and dashed to sit next to their father.

The music changed, the tune familiar even without the lyrics, Stammi Vicino. Yuuri had surprised him by skating the routine that had won Viktor his fifth gold at the Grand Prix, the skater hadn’t even known that his fiance had started to learn it. He’d cried from the first few notes, and insisted they make a new routine together as a duet, a tribute to finding each other. Straightening his tie he took a cautious step from outside the bush and caught sight of the black-haired man on the other side.

Yuuri was gorgeous in a white suit, a sky blue tie around his neck that matched the vest peeking out from under his jacket. His dark hair pushed back the way it always was for important occasions but Viktor could tell it had been mussed from the few strands that wouldn’t lie flat. Pink dusted his cheeks as those big brown eyes met his own and his fiance’s lips quirked up in a smile. They joined arms and walked down the aisle together, noticing how Makkachin’s tail began wagging faster upon seeing her owners.

The officiant began, “We gather here today in the presence of family and friends-” he stopped paying attention, his focus drawn to the freckles that ran across Yuuri’s nose. God this man was beautiful, Viktor was truly lucky to be here, to be marrying him and to spend the rest of their lives together.

“Will you, Yuuri Katsuki, take Viktor Nikiforov to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all others remain true to him as long as you both shall live?”

Yuuri’s eyes shone as he responded. “I will.”

“Will you, Viktor Nikiforov, take Yuuri Katsuki to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all others remain true to him as long as you both shall live?”

There was no easier decision to make. “I will.”

“Now that you have declared your intentions, I invite you to share your vows with one another.”

Clasping Viktor’s hands in his own Yuuri took a breath, and the skater could feel him shaking from nerves but it was impossible for anyone else to know. “I have loved you for as long as I can remember. At first it was your skating, your beauty, your passion that I fell in love with but after finally meeting you I was able to fall for you all over again. I discovered that you were nothing like the Viktor Nikiforov they showed on television, you were more wonderful than I could have possibly imagined. Each day I looked forward to learning more about you, to spending more time with you, and despite the fact that we were both being filmed I didn't care because I was with you.

“While both of us weren’t sure that agreeing to be a part of that show was a good idea at first, now it’s easy to see how different my life would have been if it hadn’t happened. I don’t want to live without you even for a single day, I am yours forever and always.”

Tears lined Viktor’s eyes as he stared at Yuuri, it was his turn but his throat felt so tight he needed to take several gulping breaths before he could speak. “When we met the day before the show started filming I had been reduced to a shell of my former self, I’d lost interest in skating as well as most of the other things I’d liked. You were the first person to notice I wasn’t happy, to see through the smile I wore out of habit and ask me what I actually wanted to do with my life. You didn’t tell me to do what the rest of the world expected of me, and when I told you that I wanted to find someone I could spend the rest of my life with you didn’t laugh. 

“Up until then it was like I’d been seeing things in black and white only to have you bring color into my life, everything was different with you by my side. I stopped caring about what the world wanted me to do because there was something that made my life worth living for, I had a purpose again, thanks to you. I’d give you my heart if I could, but it has belonged to you for a long time already and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

Now it was Yuuri’s turn to tear up, his hands were still shaking as he slid the ring onto Viktor’s finger and as his own ring was placed on his hand. Looking into each other’s eyes they both seemed close to crying from happiness as the officiant addressed them once more. 

“I now pronounce you partners in love and life, in heart and mind, in spirit and soul forever. You may now kiss.” They’d kissed before, they’d kissed maybe hundreds of times, but now they were officially married; it was their first kiss as husbands and it felt different and wonderful at the same time. Viktor had never been happier in his life, not when he’d won his first gold medal, not when he’d met Yuuri, not even when they’d gotten engaged.

They were now Viktor and Yuuri Katsuki-Nikiforov, two men madly in love with each other. Who could have guessed it could have all started with a TV show?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All good things must come to an end. I might still post a sequel entitled Love Behind The Scenes about the dates for the show itself if people are interested.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who read this, gave kudos, or commented. It means so much that people like this fic. 
> 
> Feel free to hit me up at midnightcrowisabadname.tumblr.com if you want. I posted the first part of a few fics I started if anyone wants to read them (cosplay au, phantom thief au, and dream walker au)


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